Local teens to perform national anthem before White Sox home crowd

Two District 155 students will have the opportunity to perform the nation’s most well-known song.

Grace Kinstler and Matthew Jazwinski, members of Pulsebeat, will perform the national anthem before the Chicago White Sox host the Kansas City Royals on Pediatric Congenital Heart Association​ of Illinois Day, Aug. 19, at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The day is important to Jazwinski because he was born with the congenital heart defect – tetralogy of Fallot. He continues to receive life-saving treatment.

“Since I have a few heart conditions, it’s just another way for me to give back to the community, and it’s just showing a lot more support because they’ve done so much that I can’t thank them enough for it,” Jazwinski said.

Jazwinski’s band, Pulsebeat, formed in 2014 when he was invited to perform at the Chicago Dance Marathon, which benefited Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, where he was once a patient.

Pulsebeat is formally known as the Pulsebeat Project, which is a fundraising organization that raises awareness for Lurie’s Children’s Hospital and other charity organizations. Since 2014, the band has performed in more than 50 events that support various charity organizations.

Jazwinski said being picked to perform the national anthem has been surreal.

“I didn’t expect my music to take me that far this early. But I’m glad that I was doing it and I think I showed a lot of commitment towards music that I think eventually of what I’ve been deserving,” Jazwinski said. “But I’m very happy of where it’s taking me at the moment. I’m pretty lucky.”

Kinstler and Jazwinski got the chance to perform by submitting a video of the duo performing the national anthem, Jazwinski on bass guitar and Kinstler on vocals. The White Sox organization approved.

This is Jazwinski’s first time performing the national anthem and Kinstler’s third time. Her first time singing the national anthem was her freshman year of high school on opening weekend.

“I was afraid the first time just because it was like 40,000 people in a stadium. But once I got on the field, it was fun because I had my voice teacher down there with me and my family was all in the stands. So it was really nice,” Kinstler said.

This coming performance may be the last for the duo for the near future.

Kinstler will be attending the Berklee College of Music in the fall to study songwriting and vocal performance. She also plans to release her first album in August and an EP next summer.

Jazwinski will start his junior year at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. He completed his sophomore year at Cary-Grove High School.

Jazwinski said music is a great career to get into.

“Music is something that everyone can enjoy … Everybody listens to music.”